This is a blog about music, photography, history, and culture.These are photographs from my collection that tell a story about lost time and forgotten music. Mike Brubaker

{ Click on the image to expand the photo }

Lost in Translation

05 August 2017

Posted by
Mike Brubaker

The bearskin cap still remains the unofficial trademarkof the British army.But the bearskin hat stylewas originally French,belonging to Napoleon's Imperial Guard. After his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815this French fur hat fashion was awarded to Britain's 1st Regiment of Foot Guards,or The Grenadier Guardsto wear as part of a new uniform that celebrated their victory over Napoleon.

Later the distinctive tall bearskin capsof the Grenadier Guards wereadopted by other British units,the Coldstream Guards, the Scots Guards,the Irish guards, and the Welsh Guards.

The bearskin used to make the capsis imported from Canada,and traditionally comes from the fur of female brown bears that is then dyed black.Guardsmen of the 21st century now mostly wear bearskin caps made of synthetic fur.

As far as I can determinethe bearskin was never intended to be worn by women.

Nor were sporran,the kilt accessoryof a Scottish man's uniform,ever considered a handbag suitable for a woman.

Yet here we have seven young ladies,dressed in full Scottish formal tartans,plaid kilts, marching spats, and bearskin caps,who called themselves:

Miss Freda Russell's English Orchestra

The photographer's mark in the lower right corner of this photo postcard readsA. LOMP Dorpat Alt St 6

Dorpat is not in Scotland or Englandbut is the old name for Tartuthe second largest city in Estonia

The postcard was mailed from Russiaon 05-01-1912.The message may be in German but the handwriting makes it difficult to be certain.

This ladies musical troupe, which included one man wearing standard black tie dinner jacket, called itself an English Orchestra, though the musicians have no instruments. If they were proper English ladies, why are they dressed in Scottish garb? How did their postcard get photographed in Estonia, which was then part of the Russian Empire? Who is Miss Freda Russell?

It's all a curious puzzle but at least I can answer the last question.

The Stage
06 June 1912

Miss Freda Russell was from Cheltenham. She played the violin and was a graduate of London's Royal Academy of Music, where she won a silver medal. She was a professional musician who performed small recital concerts around England and Scotland. In June 1912 she ran an advertisement in London's theatrical trade magazine, The Stage.

By August she was still in search of a 'Cellist, Flautist, and Pianist (Ladies) for abroad. But her contact address was no Restaurant Richelien, Odessa, Russia.

Gloucestershire Echo
25 October 1912

In October she hired Miss Lilian Burrows (pianist and vocalist), youngest daughter of Mr. Burrows, surgeon dentist, of Cheltenham. Miss Burrows would shortly leave for South Russia to join Miss Freda Russell's orchestra. A position of cellist was still open, and applicants were invited to travel with her.

As usual with these postcard mysteries,we must use our imaginationto create a story of how and whyseven young English ladiesdressed as Scots Guardstraveled to Imperial Russia in 1912to perform concerts in French restaurants.

Did they play bagpipes too?

This is my contribution to Sepia Saturdaywhere all animals are fair game.

7 comments:

I suppose the bearskins, kilts and sporrans added to the novelty of the act and Ms Russell figured that the Russian audiences would not query their authenticty. I could do with a bearskin here in Melbourne today, as it's wintry and wet and I have to go out tonight.

Okay, now you're just messing with me. This is a Python group isn't it. That's Michael Palin on the left. Of course I know it's not, but now I have the Python music going through my head the whole time I'm reading this.

I find all of the info fascinating. I didn't know that the hats were originally bearskins but it does make sense. My mom would cover me up with a bearskin throw when I was a kid living in an extremely cold house in winter. I thought it strange but the throw was very warm.

Bearskins are known to be hot and heavy, which is why the occasional guardsman at Buckingham Palace who faints, hits the news. Mike have you see that wonderful photograph of the Queen laughing with (at?) Prince Phillip in his Guards uniform?

About This

This is a web gallery of antique photographs of musicians. Most are of people whose names are now lost in time but they represent the many kinds of players, instruments, and ensembles that once defined musical culture.But these photographs also capture a moment in the history of people and places, so I write about that too.

All the photos shown here are in my personal collection.

For Best EffectClick on the Imagesfor a Larger View

For information on my music for horn - go to the bottom of this column.